Virginia Historic Sites Cutting Ed Programs & Personnel

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Virginia Historic Sites Cutting Ed Programs & Personnel

by verity

Feb 8, 2011

More and more Virginia historic homes and museums are slashing their budgets by downsizing educational personnel and axing curriculum and standards-based hands-on activities.

Educational departments are being replaced by volunteer docents and self-guided tours.

These changes really do affect the quality of fieldtrips.

The most recent is Gunston Hall and a couple of years ago, Pamplin Historical Park.

If y'all feel that sites such as these should be supporting these people and programs, chime in. Additionally, it might be instructive to all of us if you can share some good/bad experiences or can offer some suggestions.

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Stephen Marion On 2/08/11, verity wrote: > More and more Virginia historic homes and museums are > slashing their budgets by downsizing educational personnel > and axing curriculum and standards-based hands-on > activities. > > Educational departments are being replaced by volunteer > docents and self-guided tours. > > These changes rea...See More

Feb 9, 2011

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Verity I do think a letter-writing campaign to the Governor, Head of Education,, US Reps, and Virginia is for Lovers (tourism) would be a good thing to demonstrate that quality, on-site education is an important component that illuminates curricula. Perhaps we should also get in touch with the Virginia Association of Museums (VAM). I just found out that t...See MoreI do think a letter-writing campaign to the Governor, Head of Education,, US Reps, and Virginia is for Lovers (tourism) would be a good thing to demonstrate that quality, on-site education is an important component that illuminates curricula. Perhaps we should also get in touch with the Virginia Association of Museums (VAM). I just found out that they are meeting in Portsmouth later this month and perhaps this could be a topic of conversation.

While Virginia educators should seek to maintain the overall quality of fieldtrips for our local schools, many of the schools that travel here from other parts of the country during spring break and Easter will also be adversely affected.

I'm not sure how to go about this; should we have a petition or simply write letters?

Verity 2/09/11, Stephen Marion wrote: > On 2/08/11, verity wrote: >> More and more Virginia historic homes and museums are >> slashing their budgets by downsizing educational personnel >> and axing curriculum and standards-based hands-on >> activities. >> >> Educational departments are being replaced by volunteer >> docents and self-guided tours. >> >> These changes really do affect the quality of fieldtrips. >> >> The most recent is Gunston Hall and a couple of years ago, >> Pamplin Historical Park. >> >> If y'all feel that sites such as these should be supporting >> these people and programs, chime in. Additionally, it might >> be instructive to all of us if you can share some good/bad >> experiences or can offer some suggestions. > This is another one of those places where budget constraints > are cutting to the quick. It may not appear to hurt so much > initially, but it does hurt severely when it comes to the > development of our students and our future societies. > I, for one, believe it will have a very negative effect > upon our society eventually. > How can we help? I believe about the only thing we can do > is vocalize our concerns and demonstrate our feelings about > the seriousness of the situation by writing to our > representatives at the state and the national level. I > believe they do care and want to hear out thoguhts.

Feb 9, 2011

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Liberal & Independent VA BLAME ON THE GOP!

On 2/09/11, Stephen Marion wrote: > On 2/08/11, verity wrote: >> More and more Virginia historic homes and museums are >> slashing their budgets by downsizing educational personnel >> and axing curriculum and standards-based hands-on >> activities. >> >> Educational departments are b...See More

Feb 9, 2011

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Verity Your response is not particularly helpful.

I am with the GOP.

Blaming the government and political parties is not the way to get action on this and most of these sites are not funded by the government. It's a matter of priorities.

Teachers need to be pro-active and write letters and emails to the officials in Richmond ...See MoreYour response is not particularly helpful.

I am with the GOP.

Blaming the government and political parties is not the way to get action on this and most of these sites are not funded by the government. It's a matter of priorities.

Teachers need to be pro-active and write letters and emails to the officials in Richmond as well as associations like the VAM to insist that on-site education be made a priority since education brings more value to the sites. If we don't stick up for on-site education, who will?

Most of these historic sites are not making the effort to track down existing government grants, corporations, and foundations (which are still heavily endowed) to support educational programs. There are also other creative ways to bring in the bucks, but most of these boards are just too derned lazy.

Verity

On 2/09/11, Liberal & Independent VA wrote: > BLAME ON THE GOP! > > > > On 2/09/11, Stephen Marion wrote: >> On 2/08/11, verity wrote: >>> More and more Virginia historic homes and museums are >>> slashing their budgets by downsizing educational personnel >>> and axing curriculum and standards-based hands-on >>> activities. >>> >>> Educational departments are being replaced by volunteer >>> docents and self-guided tours. >>> >>> These changes really do affect the quality of fieldtrips. >>> >>> The most recent is Gunston Hall and a couple of years ago, >>> Pamplin Historical Park. >>> >>> If y'all feel that sites such as these should be supporting >>> these people and programs, chime in. Additionally, it might >>> be instructive to all of us if you can share some good/bad >>> experiences or can offer some suggestions. >> This is another one of those places where budget constraints >> are cutting to the quick. It may not appear to hurt so much >> initially, but it does hurt severely when it comes to the >> development of our students and our future societies. >> I, for one, believe it will have a very negative effect >> upon our society eventually. >> How can we help? I believe about the only thing we can do >> is vocalize our concerns and demonstrate our feelings about >> the seriousness of the situation by writing to our >> representatives at the state and the national level. I >> believe they do care and want to hear out thoguhts.

Feb 10, 2011

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